Improvement in pencil-sharpeners



A. P. ST. J 0 EN. Pencil Sharpener.

No. 202,070. Pa tented April 2,1878.

INVENTOR J/eocan c/M YZIQ ATTORNEY ALEXANDER F. ST. JOHN, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PENCIL-SHARPENERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.

202,070, dated April 2, 1878 application filed January 24, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER POPE ST. JOHN, of Mobile, in the county of Mobile and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pencil Sharpeners, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the handle, the blade of the sharpener, and inkeraser D, the cover or guard to the eraser being removed for that purpose. Figs. 2 and 3 show the blade of the sharpener A, detached from'the handle 0. E is the cap or cover of the ink-eraser knife D. Fig. 4 is a modification, being a sectional view, showing theknife A of a curved form.

The object of my invention is to furnish a cheap and efficient pencil-sharpener, which may be used either with or without the inkeraser D, and with expedition, uniformity, and cleanliness, there being no occasion to soil the hands.

In using the sharpener, I prefer to hold the pencil with the left hand, and rest it on the surface of the desk or table, so that the point of the pencil shall project over the edge of the table about one inch, or a little less. I hold the sharpener in the right hand and use it as a drawing-knife, drawn toward the body, taking rapid delicate cuts rather than heavy deep The blade A may be made of any convenient shape. I prefer to make it of an elliptical shape, as at B, reduced to a narrow blade at A. One face of the elliptical portion of the blade should be out like a file, for the purpose of rubbing down the point of the pencil, (or renewing the fine point.)

The elliptical extension is intended as well to" give a hold for withdrawing the knife from V the holder for sharpening.

The handle may be made of metal, or any other desired material, such as wood, bone, ivory, gutta-percha, &c.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The knife A, having one end, B, enlarged, provided with file-like corrugations, and attached to a forked handle, 0, substantially as shown and described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. An article of manufacture consisting of the knife A B, forked handle 0, ink-eraser D, and guard or cap E, substantially'as and for the purposes set forth.

ALEXANDER POPE ST. JOHN.

Witnesses G. GoLDsT iiKER, LLOYD D. BATRE. 

